iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro: Should we upgrade to the new model and why? (or not)

Apple has just unveiled its brand new range of smartphones, consisting of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. If you are looking for a new iPhone, you may be wondering how the new devices can be compared to older models like the iPhone 13 or even the iPhone 14.

The iPhone 15 Pro, which is part of Apple’s high-end smartphone range, is a great option if you want a professional-level smartphone that fits comfortably in the hand. But how can the iPhone 15 Pro, with its elegant appearance and its titanium dress, be measured against a reliable and very popular device like the iPhone 13 Pro? The price difference is not the only thing that differentiates them, although it is significant.

We are going to analyze the characteristics of the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro to help you decide if you should opt for the latest one or for the old one.

Features from the iPhone 15 Pro and from the iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro

Screen : 6.1″ / Super Retina XDR | Always-on (permanent display)

Finishing : Natural titanium (light gray), Blue titanium, White titanium, Black titanium

Processor : A17 Pro

Storage : 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB

Construction : Grade 5 titanium

Battery : Up to 29 hours of video playback

Port : USB-C and USB 3

Main camera : 48MP | Up to 10x optical zoom

Connectivity : eSIM, 5G, Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, UWB, GPS, Wi-Fi calling

Price : From 1230 €

iPhone 13 Pro

Screen : 6.1″ / Super Retina XDR

Finishing : Blue, pink, Midnight (dark gray), Starlight (white), green, Product Red (red)

Processor : A15 Bionic chip

Storage : 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB

Construction : Stainless steel / IP68

Battery : Up to 22 hours of video playback

Port : Lightning and USB 2

Main camera : 12MP| up to 4K video

Connectivity : SIM card, 5G, Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, UWB, GPS, Wi-Fi calling

Price : From 750 €.

You should buy the iPhone 15 Pro though…

Apple/ZDNET

1. you want an exceptional camera

As fussy as we can be, there is one thing that we can’t fault the iPhone 15 Pro, it’s its camera. The iPhone 15 Pro’s camera captures 48 Mpx images (compared to 12 Mpx for the iPhone 13 Pro) and its sensor is 25% larger than that of its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro. It is also capable of quadrupling the resolution of RAW images and working with an aperture of f/2.8.

Users will be able to obtain portraits with twice the luminous performance of the previous version, thanks to a Lidar scanner that captures portraits in night mode with a greater dynamic range while maintaining brightness.

The optical zoom has a focal length spectrum of 13 to 120 mm. The camera of the iPhone 15 Pro also has a periscope, with a tetraprismatic design that reflects light inside the iPhone to avoid the use of a long telephoto lens.

2. want to jump on the USB-C bandwagon

This is probably the main feature that distinguishes the iPhone 15 from previous iPhone models. Apple has finally put USB-C ports on its devices, which means that you can use the same cable to charge all your Apple devices, as long as they are the most recent ones. Apple’s switch to the USB-C connector also translates into faster transfer speeds between your iPhone and your Mac.

But Apple did not remove the Lightning port out of a pure spirit of innovation. The decision to switch to USB-C ports for charging cables was imposed on the technology giants by the European Union: all electronic devices sold at the end of 2024 will have to be equipped with a USB-C connector.

3. do you want a more robust iPhone

The iPhone 15 Pro abandons the stainless steel construction in favor of a grade 5 titanium. Titanium is more difficult to mold and form than aluminum and stainless steel, but it is a better choice for appliances, especially because of its low thermal conductivity.

Titanium is more heat-resistant than steel, which could reduce the cases of iPhone overheating. The interior of the new iPhone 15 Pro is covered with aluminum, under the titanium finish, which further facilitates heat dissipation.

The titanium construction is also lighter, while maintaining the same strength as steel. Greg “Joz” Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of global marketing, said at the launch event that this is the lightest iPhone Pro ever designed.

You should buy the iPhone 13 Pro though…

Sarah Tew/CNET

1. want a lower price

One of the best ways to save money when buying a new smartphone is to acquire an older model like the iPhone 13 Pro. You can get an iPhone 13 Pro from Apple for example from € 750. While the iPhone 15 Pro, meanwhile, is sold from 1230 €…

2. a gold iPhone is your thing

If you like golden iPhones and you were hoping to see the iPhone 15 Pro dressed in gold, I’m going to have to be, in spite of myself, the bearer of bad news. The iPhone 14 was the last to receive a gold finish, which is another point in favor of the iPhone 13 Pro.

Even though I bought a purple iPhone 14 Pro Max when it came out, I was a loyal gold iPhone user for years after Apple discontinued the rose gold finish. But if you want to acquire an iPhone 13 Pro and you like the golden iPhone, you will have to look on the reseller side.

Source: “ZDNet.com “